How to become a Logistics Manager

A person who is accountable for planning, arranging, shipping and warehousing activities for goods is known as a logistics manager. He is the one responsible to track the goods for their correct delivery time as well as to their appropriate location. Other than this they also establish tie-ups with vendors of raw material, retailers, manufacturers and consumers. A few major responsibilities they hold are maintaining stock levels, transport charge and dispatch time, supervising staff members, outlining and managing projects, fulfilling safety plans, negotiating and developing business by establishing contracts. In the production and retail industry, excessive supply of raw materials can be as loss-making as having too little of them. Logistic managers keep a check on the availability of all the supplies in enough quantity that is necessary to fulfil customer demand. The role seems quite simple, but it involves a lot of planning and execution on their part even before the actual supply starts to take place. They take care of the movement of material as well as final goods produced that are ready to flow in the supply chain. The supply chain requires money to function, and hence the manager needs to be double sure before making any decision for the company. It would not be an exaggeration to say that a company's logistics may take it to hights or result in a fall.

A few major responsibilities of a logistics manager are:

• They prepare and control the process of storage and delivery of products
• One of the main responsibility of a logistics manager is to collaborate with other company officials to make sure that the produced goods from the company reach the deport in time.
• They need to keep purchasing officers, transport and warehouse managers in the loop so that the products reach the final stage.
• They are also in charge of the safety of goods.
• This means that they need to make sure that goods are stored in a proper and safe manner, in addition, to ensure it is easier for the goods to be dispatched. 
• Ultimately they need to handle the entire process of demand and supply to help improve the business and guarantee customer satisfaction.
• They have to compare their production costs or investment against the outcome benefits or profit. 
• They also keep a track of the most cost-efficient ways to carry out final products or goods.
• They find better ways to improve the supply chain so that all the business requirements are fulfilled

A very important aspect of duty that falls under the logistic manager's tasks is to possess a fluent understanding of the supply chain because they need to coordinate effectively and deal with suppliers, retailers and consumers frequently. They also need to keep a check of legislation, fuel costs and environmental pressures. They also watch over the quality, quantity, cost and effectiveness of the flow and storage of the goods. The applicant must be fluent in analyzing data to check the performance and suggest improvements. They must be good at managing staff resources as the need changes. They must act as the motivating members in a team or group work. They need highly functional problem-solving skills along with communication and analytical skills. The individual must have the ability to do statistical and data analysis. Keen attention to detail helps them in being successful in their job role.